Crossing the border

We are not exactaly sure as to what we need to have w/ us when we come to Canada. ( my husband is coming there to work)When we get to the border is there someone there waiting to check us in? Do they check your id & your belongings etc? This is new to us & we like to know what to execpt. anything you can help us w/ will be grateful.


God Bless You

First of all you need some sort of legal status in Canada, such as a work permit. CBSA (customs) will need to see it. Employers sponsor you for a work permit, it requires labour certification through Human Resources Canada which the employer applies for (or usually the outside company they use to hire people from outside the country).

You need to list all personal belongings on CBSA forms B4 and B4A, you can download these from the CBSA website. CBSA will inspect these forms and sign off on them at the port of entry. If you have any belongings which you plan on bringing in later, you will need to show the approved form to CBSA when the goods are imported.

Any vehicles will need to be approved for import, have a read of www.riv.ca which explains how to do it. (Bear in mind there is no duty on anything imported as personal effects).

Once you've arrived you need to go to the local Federal building and get an SIN (the Canadian equivalent of an SSN), which requires you to present either a work permit or permanent resident card.

When you file taxes, as US citizens you have to carry on filing a 1040 every year, you claim a foreign tax credit for any tax paid in Canada using IRS Form 2555. You also have to file a Canadian tax return, i.e. a T1, and the employer will give you a T4 (the Canadian equivalent to a W-2).

where is this cbsa web site? do I just put in CBSA? Is there anythng else I need to know? I am very grateful that you are allowing me to "squeeze" your brain. how long we have before we need to visit your federal building? do we just bring our U.s.a paperwork? So do we use the ssn? when come in to the federal building about the sin?

Thank you so much


P.s maybe we can meet some time in person when we get to thank you. maybe dinner out uh?

You cannot use your US SSN for Canadian payroll taxes, you have to apply for a Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) as soon as possible after you arrive. You'll need to take your visa, your passport and any other ID that shows you have legal status in Canada with you.

CBSA is the Canada Border Services Agency, basically, they're customs and border patrol. http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html

If you're moving to Calgary, it's the Harry Hays building downtown. While you're downtown, you can go to the Alberta Health office on 7th Ave and register for the healthcare programme. Remember to sign up for Blue Cross as there are two separate forms.

Most things at the Provincial level (except health) in Alberta are done at registry offices, there is usually a registry office in big shopping centres, e.g. if you need to apply for a driver's licence.

When it comes to "legal Status" how do we do that? He's ( my husband) is only going to be working there. we will be livign there while he works, but we haven't found a place to live just yet. if we got passports then that would be for the usa right? this is all new to us. were still trying to figure everything out.

Thank you for your help

Do we have to have a pass port or visa to get into Canada? or do will we be using the visa or passport for leagl status. Im confussed. I know he has to have a work permit to work there.We will be arriving in Canada ( not exactaly sure where will know soon) around or right after Christmas. were trying to get all the loose ends tied up. also once we fid out where were going then is a phone book or a web site we can visit ot see where all the important places we have to go. Do we have to sign up for the heath care program? or will his health insurance be effective there. ( he has blue cross blue shield.

I am grateful for all the help you give us.
Steve I am very grateful for your help.

By "legal status" we mean that you and your husband will have to have visas of some sort from Immigration Canada that allow you to work and live in Canada. And yes, you will need passports to affix these visas to. Your husband's visa is likely being sponsored by his employer, your visa will be derivative of your husband's.

Your husband will have to check with his current health insurance provider to find out if it will cover him across the border. Likely it will not however, and you will have to get insurance in Canada once you're eligible.

Your eligibility for provincial health insurance I think depends on the sort of visa you have.

I don't think there is a physical visa stamp that goes in the passport for US citizens, because it's a non-immigrant entry, it's just a pile of paperwork from CIC that you present at the border.

You need:

(a) US passports (or NEXUS cards);
(b) your husband's employer must sponsor him for a work permit. He cannot work in Canada without one as he cannot get an SIN without one. The permit will allow you to enter as a spouse of a permit holder.

His employer should be handling this bit.

We had the same problem when hubby got a job in NYC. We found a company in Canada that took care of everything to do with our passports and dealing with the government. The companies name is passporthelp.ca and we stumbled upon them when investigating what we needed. They charged us $99, which is nothing compared to the time and hassle they saved us. We give them a big thumbs up